Deck O' Names Generator is a software utility for generating male and female names for fantasy and sci-fi roleplaying games. It is a html and JavaScript based program that runs in a browser window and allows users to generate anything up to 1000 names at the click of a single button. The program uses name segments to derive about 34000 unique and different names for each sex, thereby providing more than enough names for any occasion. This review is based on version 1.3 of the software.

The product comes as a compressed file containing three important files, excluding the actually JavaScript program files - generator for female names, generator for male names, and a text file giving simple instructions on how to run the program. The program can be run in any browser that has JavaScript support enabled. From a visual point of view the program looks good, if rather small on the screen, but then given its functionality that's hardly surprising. Buttons are provided to enable the following functions - generate names, clear name list, print name list, sort alphabetically, remove duplicate names, count number of generated names and randomise the list of names. There is also a radio-button group that defines how to sort the printing page. Names can be saved by saving the print page as a file using standard browser functions.

The program is very simple to use. One click and you can generate anything from 1-1000 names. Additional clicks generate more names, but then the risk of duplicate names is there. These can be removed by clicking on a button labelled 'unique'. This is quite a surprising feature and it would've been neater to remove the 'unique' button, and simple write the program in such a way that it ensures no duplicate names are generated. Granted this would likely require a cap on the number of names generated at any given time, but then who needs that many names in any case?

All functions of the program worked like they were intended to, and there weren't any apparent bugs in the system. Both the male and female versions work in exactly the same way, although again it would've been nice to have both in a single program rather than having to switch between the two. The printable version could then sort the name in male and female and other interesting functions. Given the very small size of this, extra functionality of 'tagging' data as male and female could've been more useful.

The names generated are generally good, although they don't have any particular feel to them. For example, the names aren't dwarven or elven or any other race, merely names. I have to admit that it was quite a struggle to find something I particularly liked in the selection, although there were a few amusing ones like 'Dammitt'. One or two are odd in the combination of consonants, like Samlbly, but for the most part it generated sensible names. It would've been nice to have the option of generating more 'specific' names for fantasy, science fiction or merely modern names.

LIKED: Deck O' Names generator is a small software program capable of generating up to 34000 names for both males and females. The interface and layout is simple and easy to use, and it provides a simple way of generating as many names as one can ever need.

DISLIKED: There are a number of areas where the program could be improved to, for example, combine the male and female programs into a single program, or generate more 'flavor' specific names rather than a collection of often 'bland' names. Given the functionality of the program, the price is disappointing. Added functionality would've made this program a little more useful and worthwhile (or, if, for example, Tabletop Adventures produced a similar program that used all their bits and shards as inputs!)